While the present invention is often described herein with reference to a digital video disc, Blu-Ray disc and video game distribution system, an application to which the present invention is advantageously suited, it will be readily apparent that the present invention is not limited to that application and can be employed in article dispensing systems used to distribute a wide variety of dispensable articles.
The digital video disc (DVD) player has been one of the most successful consumer electronics product launches in history. The market for DVD movie video, Blu-Ray movie video and video game rentals is enormous and growing. Millions of households have acquired DVDs since they were introduced in 1997. In the first quarter of 2003 alone, it was estimated that well over three million DVD players were shipped to U.S. retailers.
In 2003, brick-and-mortar stores dominated the movie video and video game rental landscape in the U.S. Statistics showed that two brick-and-mortar companies controlled nearly sixty-five percent of the home video rental business. One element repeatedly cited for success of certain brick-and mortar store video rental franchises was perceived high availability of new video releases. Consumers want entertainment on demand, and through stocking multiple units of each new release, successful brick-and-mortar companies meet this consumer demand.
The foregoing indicates that there is a significant market potential for aligning regular routines of consumers (e.g., shopping, getting coffee or gas or going to a convenience store) with their DVD, Blu-Ray and video game rental activities.
One improved article dispensing machine is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. The invention of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention can function as an article dispensing machine-based distribution system that will typically have multiple units of each new release per article dispensing machine. The dispensing machines of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention can stock up to two thousand DVDs, Blu-Ray, video games or other discs (movies, games or other entertainment content), making the system competitive with existing brick-and-mortar video rental superstores.
The dispensing machine and system of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention distinguishes itself from such stores by offering major benefits not conventionally offered by such stores, including additional cross-marketing programs (e.g., promotional rentals for a certain amount of dollars spent at the retail location) and convenience (e.g., open always).
The dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention yields a competitive advantage in the DVD, Blu-Ray and video games rental marketplace by offering consumers cross-marketing/promotional programs, convenience of selection (e.g., computer-based searches for movies and recommendations based on consumer profiles), and potentially extended hours. The present invention employs a more cost-effective, convenient platform than brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, with the present invention, dispensing machines can be situated in retail locations having high foot traffic, such as at a popular grocery store, restaurant, drug store, and/or other popular retail location.
The dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention can be operated at a substantial savings over the costs associated with traditional brick-and-mortar video rental stores. For example, the present invention does not require hourly employees manning the dispensing machines or restocking them with inventories, due to the ability of the article transport storage units to be delivered to/picked up from retail locations by third-party delivery services, such as traditional or contracted courier services.
Unlike brick-and-mortar stores, the dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention does not require an on-site store manager because all operational decisions can be made at a centralized location by a management team officed remote from the retail locations. Unlike brick-and-mortar stores, the dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention does not require significant physical space. Unlike brick-and-mortar stores, the dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention has low operating costs because no heating or air conditioning is required for the dispensing machines and they consume a relatively low level of electrical energy. In addition, the dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 has low maintenance costs and downtime.
The dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention addresses the shortcomings of traditional brick-and-mortar stores in a convenient and cost-effective delivery vehicle having the added bonus of serving as an effective promotional platform that drives incremental sales to retail locations. In addition, the dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention overcomes these disadvantages by at least offering more new releases and older selections for any given time period, and lower cost per viewing with significantly more convenience than Internet-based and pay-per-view services.
The dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention is a fully automated, integrated DVD, Blu-Ray and video game rental and/or purchase systems. It preferably incorporates robust, secure, scalable software that provides a fully personalized user experience and real-time feedback to retail locations and advertisers, scalable hardware that leverages existing technologies such as touch screen, focused audio speakers and video monitors, technology utilizing the Internet through a system website or mobile/consumer electronics device application, and an article transport storage unit that facilitates the exchange of new discs for old discs in each machine with virtually no need for human intervention. These technologies and others fill long-felt needs in the art and give advantages over conventional video distribution options. The dispensing machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,609 and the present invention functions as much as a promotional platform as it does a rental kiosk.
By utilizing the dispensing machines and the fully-interactive, real-time, linked Internet website or mobile/consumer electronics device applications, consumers can rent one or more DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, video games, or other entertainment content directly from dispensing machines as well as indirectly by making a rental reservation through the website or application for later pickup at a conveniently located machine. These dispensing machines are preferably networked with each other, with the inventory control and/or supply office and with the system website or application by phone-line, DSL, wireless network or other Internet connection at each retail location. Through this linked network, the rental experience for each consumer can be customized based on a profile for each consumer, such as via personalized home pages and rental screens.
Existing media content search engines provide search results that include only digital media available at digital media content providers. Other existing media content search engines provide search results that only include physical media articles, such as DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, and video games. A user of existing media content search engines cannot view search results that include an aggregation of digital media and physical media articles. Some users may wish to rent or obtain a physical media article rather than access a digital media selection for cost, video quality, convenience, or other reasons, but these users must access a specific search engine to obtain results related to the physical media articles. In addition, the search results from existing media content search engines may include results that are based directly on the search criteria, while some users may be interested in additional media content that is indirectly associated with the search criteria. Furthermore, the search results from existing media content search engines may include media selections that are only available to customers with certain subscription packages. In this case, a user may become frustrated when they attempt to view a particular media selection only to find that their subscription package does not allow access.
The present invention permits a user to search for media content including physical media articles and digital media. Physical media articles may include, for example, DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, and video game discs, while digital media may include, for example, streaming videos, videos-on-demand, downloadable videos, streaming video games, and downloadable video games. Searching for media content may include matching keywords in search criteria or using predefined search criteria for browsing of static or dynamic listings of media content. By returning search results that aggregate both physical and digital media content, the present invention allows users to have convenient access to all of their media content options. Moreover, content providers for the digital media selections and providers of the physical media articles receive exposure to potential customers by allowing users to see the breadth and availability of multiple types of media content in a single search result set. The present invention overcomes disadvantages of existing media content search engines by showing search results that include media articles and media selections corresponding to search criteria received in a search request. The availability of the media articles and media selections is also provided, such as information related to inventory and subscription access. A metadata database is searched for the metadata of a media article matching search criteria and the metadata of a media selection matching the search criteria, in response to receiving a search request with the search criteria. An availability of the matching media article at an article dispensing machine is determined, an associated content provider is identified, and an availability of the matching media selection at the associated content provider is determined. A search result set based on the determined availabilities of the matching media article and the matching media selection is provided. A customer subscription for the associated content provider is accessed so that the matching media selection is returned in the search result set if the customer subscription allows access to the matching media selection.
The present invention further allows a user to determine the location and distance of article dispensing machines respective to the current location of the user. The present invention may allow this determination without requiring the user to input his or her current location. In one embodiment, the present invention determines the location of, and distance to, local article dispensing machines based on personally identifiable information. The personally identifiable information may be the Internet Protocol (“IP”) address or Media Access Control (“MAC”) address of an electronic device that the user is operating. The personally identifiable information may also or alternatively be already stored in a database and associated with the user's account information. Other features and advantages are provided by the following description and drawings.